Leicester Tigers boss Richard Cockerill insists that his side remain "in a good spot" in spite of Saturday's 19-12 defeat by Gloucester at Kingsholm.

The defeat means the Tigers have not won on the road in the Aviva Premiership since April but Cockerill insists that he remains unconcerned.

"We should have played better; there are no excuses," said Tigers rugby director Cockerill after the 19-12 defeat. "It was a game we could have won and we should be better than that.

"Our away form needs to be better, but if you look at it I think we could have won at Wasps and we could have got another point out of it tonight.

"But we are in a good spot. We are not far enough away from the top five to be worried. The roundabout of fate will come back to us at some stage."

Meanwhile, Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath was a satisfied man after watching his side stretch their unbeaten run at Kingsholm in all competitions to 16 games.

"It was a massive effort," he said. "I said all week it would be a tough, close game, and that was tight. We've been criticised in the past for bottling games, having no nerve or steel, but we had to finish that game off and we did."

Lesley Vainikolo grabbed the headlines with his dramatic, game-clinching try in the dying seconds but Redpath was more eager to heap praise on another of his wingers, Charlie Sharples, who was a constant threat during the game.

"He's a tough lad," he said. "His pace is outstanding, as is his defence and work in the contact area. He deserves a lot of credit."